NBA Cup MVP Power Rankings Update: Brunson Climbs to First, Towns Second, Fox Third, and Vembanya Fifth

On December 15th Beijing time, the NBA official website unveiled the last installment of the Cup MVP power rankings. Now that the Cup has reached the finals, the Knicks and Spurs will determine the champion. Following the usual pattern of the tournament, any player who leads his team to victory with exceptional play is destined to lift the MVP award. This honor will be decided between these two finalists, both of whom have players with strong MVP credentials.

This season’s Cup MVP power rankings cover performances from the group stage, knockout rounds, to the Las Vegas phase. Among the top five players, four remain contenders for the title. Although Alexander is out, he commands great respect—having secured nearly all other major accolades over the past year. The detailed rankings are as follows—

1. Brunson (Knicks)

Previous rank: 2

Reason for ranking: Whenever the Knicks need scoring the most, Brunson steps up delivering his best form. He has scored 30+ points in four consecutive games (all Cup matches), including 40 points in the latest game leading the team to a win over the Magic.

In the last two Cup games, Brunson has been firing from the start. He scored 25 points in the first half against the Magic and dropped 20 points in the first quarter versus the Raptors. Earlier, he posted 37 points against the Bucks, helping the Knicks advance to the knockout stage. His basketball IQ and clutch ability inspire great confidence in the team.

2. Towns (Knicks)

Previous rank: 5

Reason for ranking: Offense has always been Towns’ forte; he is undeniably one of the league’s elite shooting big men, arguably historic in stature. But in this Cup, especially in the semifinal against the Magic, he prioritized defense. His leadership on defense (while still scoring 29 points) opened the door for the Knicks’ victory.

In the quarterfinals against the Raptors, he grabbed 16 rebounds and had 2 blocks; during the group stage versus the Hornets, he posted a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. If Towns can maintain this two-way performance in Wednesday’s final, it will not only boost the Knicks’ championship chances but also strengthen his MVP candidacy.

3. Fox (Spurs)

Previous rank: 6

Reason for ranking: Fox is currently in great form, fueled by his consistent performances in the Cup. Against the Trail Blazers, he scored 37 points with 8 assists; then dished out 12 assists in a narrow win over the Nuggets; contributed 20 points in the quarterfinal against the Lakers; and added 22 points versus the Thunder.

During the 12 games Vembanya missed due to a calf injury, Fox remained one of the Spurs’ most steady leaders. Under his guidance, the Spurs stabilized their position, kept their championship hopes alive, and ultimately reached the final, just one step away from the title.

4. Alexander (Thunder)

Previous rank: 1

Reason for ranking: In the semifinal against the Spurs, he narrowly missed scoring 30 points by one point, a minor disappointment for him. Across two games against the Suns (group stage and quarterfinals), he amassed 65 points — an impressive scoring feat for most players.

Alexander’s biggest change this Cup was playing the entire fourth quarter in the semifinal — a necessary move given the tight contest with the Spurs. In the first game against the Suns, he scored 15 points in the final quarter and totaled 37 points; in the second game, where the Thunder won by 49 points, he rested early. Though now out of the Cup, Alexander’s dominant displays have left an MVP-level impression.

5. Vembanya (Spurs)

Previous rank: Unranked

Reason for ranking: Admittedly, he only played three games in this Cup. However, those three games were highly impactful — the Spurs won two and lost the other by just one point. Vembanya was instrumental in the team’s journey to the final.

In the group stage against the Rockets, he posted 22 points and 8 rebounds to lead the team to victory; then scored 26 points with 12 rebounds against the Warriors, despite the loss, his performance was flawless. Yesterday in the semifinal, returning from injury, he played only 21 minutes but scored 22 points and grabbed 9 rebounds, helping the Spurs defeat the Thunder. Although the Spurs performed well during his absence, without his crucial contributions, the team likely wouldn’t have reached Wednesday’s final.

Ranks 6 through 10 are as follows—

6. Kessler (Spurs)

7. Bane (Magic)

8. Doncic (Lakers)

9. Banchero (Magic)

10. Anunoby (Knicks)

Additional five candidates (alphabetically ordered)—

Booker (Suns), Holmgren (Thunder), Ingram (Raptors), Ajayi-Mitchell (Thunder), Reeves (Lakers)